Mold raising mechanism



June 13, 1967 B. AHL 3,325,146

MOLD RAISING MECHANISM Filed March 16, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNVENTOP Be Wz/zard A h] ATTYJI June 13, B AHL MOLD RAISING MECHANISM 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 16, 1966 Fig. 4

lNl/ENTOF? B n/zara A HTTXJI United States Patent 3,325,146 MOLD RAISINGMECHANISM Bernhard Ahl, Wormser Str. 33, Cologne, Germany Filed Mar. 16,1966, Ser. No. 534,775 Claims priority, application Germany, May 5,1965, A 4 ,113 7 Claims. (Cl. 254-106) This invention relates to amechanism for raising sliding molds on vertical climbing poles duringthe production of concrete structures by the slide-molding system.

Previously proposed mold raising or climbing mechanisms for slidemolding applications have suffered from slippage mainly as a result ofrust on the climbing poles, or the presence of dirt on or wear of thegrabs. Such slippage causes deformation, tilting and cracking of theconcrete. Moreover, previously proposed mold raising mechanisms havebeen such that it is impossible to economically interrupt the work at aparticular point in time as, for example, at the end of a days work.

In keeping with the above, it is an object of the present invention toobviate or mitigate the above disadvantages in conventional mold raisingmechanisms.

Another object of this invention is to provide a mold raising mechanismfor raising sliding molds for the production of concrete structures bythe slide-molding system, the mold raising mechanism includinggrab-heads positioned above and below one another, eccentrically mountedgrabs or clamps carried by the grab-heads for clamping an associatedclimbing pole, the upper and lower grab-heads being connected to twoindependently operated, extensible and contractible pressure fluidactuators for raising and lowering the grab-heads, the actuatorsextending parallel to the climbing pole, each pressure fluid actuatorincluding at least one auxiliary lengthadjusting device, and an upperone of the grab-heads being provided with a release device to hold thegrabs free from the climbing pole.

. A further object of the invention is to provide a mold raisingmechanism of the type above-described in which the pressure fluidactuators are piston-cylinder units which are pivoted to the grab-heads,and each length-ad" justing device is arranged between a piston and alug by which each unit is pivoted to an associated grab-head.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism asdefined above, the mechanism further including an adjust-able fixingring attached to the climbing pole above the upper grab-head, andrelease-bolts for the grabs are provided between the fixing ring and thegrabs to shake molds carried by the grab-heads to settle concrete in themolds.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of exampleonly, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational view of the mold raisingmechanism;

FIG. 2 is a sectional end view mechanism of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-Ill of FIG. 1 showing anupper grab-head of the mechanism; and

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, the mold raising or climbing mechanism 1operates in conjunction with a vertical climbing pole 2 and includes anupper grab-head 3 and a lower grab-head 4. Lifting apparatus in the formof two pressure fluid actuators or hydraulic rams 5 and 6 are positionedbetween the grab-heads 3, 4. Each ram 5, 6 includes a cylinder 7in whicha piston 8 is slidably disposed. Fluid openings or ports 9 and 10' openinto each cylinder 7 above and below the piston respectively,

of the mold raising grab of the mold raising and hydraulic pressuremedium, e.g. oil, is introduced or extracted therethrough, as will bemore apparent hereafter. The rams each terminate in lugs 14 and 15 whichare pivoted by bolts 16 and 17 to lugs 18 and 19' on the respectivegrab-heads 3, 4. Each piston is provided with a piston rod 8a whoseupper end 8b is screwed into an associated holding head 14. To each ofthe piston rods 8a is attached a threaded bushing 12 having threads 12athreadably receiving an adjusting ring 13-. A conical shell 11 serves asa support for the adjusting ring 13 which forms an auxiliarylength-adjusting device which operates in a manner to be more fullydescribed hereinafter.

The grab-heads 3, 4 are disposed in housings 20' in which are locatedgrabs or clamps 21 and 22 eccentrically mounted by bolts 23 and 24. Thegrabs 21, 22 are biased under the influence of adjustable springs 25 and26 which are carried on square-headed bolts 27 and 28, respectively. Thefree ends of the springs 25, 26 rest on projecting arms 21a of each ofthe grabs 21, 22. The housing of the upper grab-head 3 is provided witha headpiece 20a. Holes 29 and 30 parallel to the climbing pole 2 areformed in the head-piece 20a and movable bolts 31 and 32 are slidablethrough the holes and contact offset surfaces 33, 34 on the grabs 21,22, respective ly. Above the bolts 31 and 32 is a fixing ring 35 whichcan be fixed to the climbing pole 2 by means of an adjusting screw 36.Holes 3-7 and 38 are provided in the housings 20 to receive rods or thelike to which molds (not shown) for concrete are attached.

In the operation of the mechanism 1 a hydraulic medium is introducedthrough the opening 10 causing the piston 8 to rise to the heightpermitted by the adjusting ring 13, this height having been exactlydetermined beforehand. The mold (not shown) fastened to the grab-head 3is thus raised upwardly. During this upward movement of the grab-head 3the grabs 21 and 22 are automatically released due to the eccentricmounting thereof, and are therefore biased against the climbing pole 2by the springs 26. The grabs in the lower grab-head 4 are clamped bymeans of the appropriate springs and by the hydraulic pressure exertedby the holding-head. 15 against the climbing pole below the piston 8,thereby providing the counter-pressure for the lifting of the mold. Onthe release of the hydraulic pressure medium the upper grabhead 3 dropsdown slightly due to the weight of the mold carried by it, and theeccentrically-set grabs 21 and 22 of the upper grab-head 3 pivot andclamp fast to the climbing pole 2. The springs 25 and 26 effect animmediate clamping of the grabs 21 and 22 when the pressure of themedium drops.

When the medium is introduced through the openings 9 the cylinder 7,with the lower grab-head 4 hanging from them, are raised by the sameheight as the cylinders whereby the grab-head 4 is drawn along withthem. An alternate introduction of the pressure medium through theopenings 10 or 9 thus gives rise to continuous upward movement of themechanism 1, whereby raising the mold attached thereto.

When irregular clamping of the grabs 21, 22 occurs the adjusting ring 13can be adjusted according to the amount of slippage by merely raising orlowering the shell 11 and ring 13 on the bushing 12, in a manner clearlyapparent from FIG. 2 of the drawings. Slippage is in this way equalized,and regular and controllable raising of the mold is attained. Thus, anytilting of the concreted construction because of the occurrence orirregular slippage can be corrected by the adjustment of the ring 13,whereby the construction can be pulled back into the normalperpendicular again. Various settings of the adjusting rings 13 on eachof the numerous mechanisms 1 and during a concreting operation may beused I I I) J to allow a desired degree of tilt to be achieved in the vconcreted construction.

grabs 21, 22 cannot grip the pole 2 when the pressure medium iswithdrawn, and the grab-head 3 with its attached mold moves back to itslast position by its own weight and that of the concrete platform lyingon the mold. In this manner the mold can be brought to the desired levelposition during raising. This control, and with it the automaticlevelling of all the raising mechanisms, can be effected as needed andaccording to requirements.

' When the concreting process is to be stopped or interrupted, the moldmust not be moved or raised until the concrete is hard and there is nomore adhesion of the concrete to the mold. With the clamping of thefixingring 35 to the pole 2, and alternating the introduction of thepressure medium by means of the striking of the release bolts .31 and 32against fixing-ring 35, a continuous up-and-down sliding of the uppergrab head 3 and its attached mold can be attained, without a finalraising of the mold resulting, and the mold being drawn up out of thewet concrete. The mold instead slides up and down in the same range ofheight. This up-and-down movement of the mold without actually climbingis carried out until the concrete is hard and no longer adhesive. Thiscan be achieved by means of electromagnetic control of the alternatingintroduction of the pressure medium through the openings 9 and 10. Sucha shaking motion can be predetermined and afterwards carried out by atime-clock connected to the electromagnetic control.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A mold raising mechanism for raising sliding molds on verticalclimbing poles comprising a pair of grabheads, means eccentricallymounting a grab in each of said grab-heads for clamping a climbing pole,a pair of extensible and contractible pressure fluid actuators formoving said grab-heads toward and away from each other, said pressurefluid actuators being in generally parallel Air relationship, eachpressure fluid actuator including means for adjusting the stroke thereofwhereby said grab-heads can be moved maximum and minimum predetermineddistances from each other, and one of said grab-heads being providedwith releasable means to prevent an associated grab from clamping anassociated climbing pole.

2. The mold raising mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein saidpressure fluid actuators are piston-cylinder units, and means areprovided for pivoting said units to each of said grab-heads.

3. The mold raising mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein saidadjusting means consists of an adjustable ring movable along a threadedportion of a piston rod of each of said piston-cylinder units.

4. The mold raising mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said presurefluid actuators are piston-cylinder units, means are provided forpivoting said units to each of said grab-heads, and said adjusting meansbeing an adjustable ring movable along a threaded portion of a pistonrod of each of said piston-cylinder units.

5. The mold raising mechanism as defined in claim 1 including incombination therewith a climbing pole to which is attached an adjustablefixing-ring above an uppermost of said grab-heads and said releasablemeans are cooperative with said fixing-ring to prevent the uppermostgrab from clamping said climbing pole.

6. The mold raising mechanism as defined in claim 5 wherein saidreleasable means are elongated elements movable in a direction generallyparallel to said climbing pole, said elements being cooperative torelease said grabs of said upper grab-head, and biasing means normallymaintaining said upper grab-head grabs in clamping relationship againstthe climbing pole.

7. The mold raising mechanism as defined in claim 6 wherein said biasingmeans are springs and means are provided for adjusting the tensionthereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,756,019 7/1956 Van Hudenstan etal. 254105 2,851,759 9/1958 Bcrntsen 25-131 2,902,256 9/1959 Gustafson254 106 3,085,787 4/1963 Gattnar et al. 254-106 OTHELL M. SIMPSON,Primary Examiner.

